New laws regarding car lowering (NSW)

[Wraith]

This could spread throughout Australia...

Approval from RTA needed to raise or lower car suspension

AAP
July 16, 2009 12:11pm
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+ - Print Email Share Add to MySpace Add to Digg Add to del.icio.us Add to Fark Post to Facebook Add to Kwoff What are these? NEW laws making it an offence to raise or lower a car's suspension without proper approval is about saving lives, New South Wales Roads Minister Michael Daley says.
From August 1, car owners will be limited to raising or lowering their suspension by no more than five centimetres, and all modifications will need approval from Roads and Traffic Authority engineers.

Currently, a car can be raised or lowered by up to five centimetres without approval and by up to 15 centimetres with approval.

Mr Daley says while drivers may think a lowered car looks "cool" it really is dangerous and any adjustment of more than five centimetres doesn't belong on the road.

"I don't want to see young hoons putting their lives or the lives of others at risk, just because they think their car looks better 15 centimetres closer to the ground," Mr Daley said.

"Raising or lowering a vehicle's height can put the driver, passengers and other road users at risk.

"It can affect handling, braking and safety features such as electronic stability control."

Any vehicle that is raised or lowered after August 1 will have to carry a certificate stating that the modifications confirm to safety standard requirements.


http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574...-29277,00.html

Warning: This is an Old Thread This discussion is older than 120 days. information contained in it may no longer be current . Please think of the children before resurrecting this ancient thread!

[EL BURITO]

This has been mentioned on one of the other forums I am on

and the point has been raised that the most people this will effect will be 4wd owners with lift kits on there cars, it is also worth mentioning that 4wd clubs are in general more organised than most clubs, I think the govt. is going to be in for some sort of fight.

Coilovers can be wound up or down, and what the cops are going to carry a book wit the ride height of every car on the road here

[Calibrated]

read this on ozaudi this morning.

and this reply from Guy

The Industry groups have started to react:

"
Dear Member,

Earlier this afternoon we received a press release from the office of the New South Wales Minister for Roads, Michael Daley. Please follow the below link to review this press release.

http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/newsevents/downloads/minister_releases/16072009_carhoons.pdf

Under the guise of attempting to hamper modifications undertaken by 'car hoons' the Minister has outlined changes in regulation that will cause havoc for both the automotive industry and the 1000's of drivers on NSW roads with minor, currently legal suspension modifications. Many of the modifications outlined in the press release that will require engineering approval are completely legal in EVERY other state in Australia, making this scenario totally unworkable. We have spoken with other consumer and industry stakeholder groups nationally, and they, like us were not consulted regarding this radical change in policy direction.

We are currently drafting a letter that will be sent in the next 24 hours requesting an immediate meeting with the Minister to highlight both the shortcomings in the policy and the gross misconceptions raised in this press release.

Should you require any further information, please contact myself at the AAAA National Office on 03-9561-7044."

This is from the Performance Racing & Tuning Council, as well as the Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association.

[sooty]

4wd's with lift kits should need engineering certs though, can you imagine how dangerous they are for a pedestrian....the bull bar would just crack your forehead open rather than you being able to go over the bonnet.
Still...for 5cm, it's not going to affect to many people lowering their cars, more just people who think it's cool to overly compress their springs and have their wheels in the arches..

[Jerram]

let's not forget the fact that I'm sure this law will bring about some revenue source. (I'm assuming getting these certificates costs some kind of money)

[Keep'emRunning]

.. i kind've agree with this law.. 50mm over standard is usually enough for the road. Most people would agree that any further definately compromises safety and comfort levels.

As for higher, there's a hilux around our area with a lift kit (and tonka replacing the toyota decal hahah) It's cabin floor stands at about most car's roof height.. sure it's great for rock crawling, but for driving on the roads...?

[glider]

4wd's with lift kits should need engineering certs though, can you imagine how dangerous they are for a pedestrian....the bull bar would just crack your forehead open rather than you being able to go over the bonnet.
Still...for 5cm, it's not going to affect to many people lowering their cars, more just people who think it's cool to overly compress their springs and have their wheels in the arches..

get hit by a 4x4 your odds arent good anyway... you're not gonna go up over the bonnet of a landcruiser even if it was lowered

.. i kind've agree with this law.. 50mm over standard is usually enough for the road. Most people would agree that any further definately compromises safety and comfort levels.

As for higher, there's a hilux around our area with a lift kit (and tonka replacing the toyota decal hahah) It's cabin floor stands at about most car's roof height.. sure it's great for rock crawling, but for driving on the roads...?

gotta get to the rock crawling somehow

unfortunately this is targeted at a specific group I suspect (slammed commonwhores and extremely low civics) and as a result everyone is going to be punished... so if your springs are sagging are you going to get done for ride height being out by a cm or 2?

[gman]

It should be a minimum ground clearance height, not a maximum amount of change from standard which is impossible to police...

A minimum ground clearance of 70mm or 100mm is easy to check and I actually agree would be safer than the "slammed" Civics', Commonwhores & pick-ups...

As for the raising of 4WD's, that's much harder to police...

[Wraith]

.. i kind've agree with this law.. 50mm over standard is usually enough for the road. Most people would agree that any further definately compromises safety and comfort levels.

As for higher, there's a hilux around our area with a lift kit (and tonka replacing the toyota decal hahah) It's cabin floor stands at about most car's roof height.. sure it's great for rock crawling, but for driving on the roads...?

Agree...

On most newer cars there's no need to lower more than 25-40mm to get a perfect result, especially if you combine that with a larger wheel size

That range works on most older cars as well...

[hazrd]

wheres stefan?

(just jokes mate u know its all love)


i can kinda agree with this law too though... when u think about it... a 50mm drop is a fair bit (unless u drive a god damn magna)... and considering its going to become law, its quite generous considering how ridiculously tight they make other laws out there...

i always wondered WHAT exactly makes lowing a car unsafe, because it can improve handling, and better the aerodynamics of some cars.. wouldnt that be a good thing?

until i read above that it affects ESP which sucks